Plant Morphology :Growth Form: Herbaceous shrub, semi-epiphytic and growing on trees in native habitat. But usually cultivated on ground or in containers, up to 1.8m height if planted into ground.Foliage: Leaves large, leathery, somewhat glossy, with 5 prominently-sunken veins, slightly whorled around stems. Flowers: Small, 4 whitish-pink petals with purplish stamens, produced in pendant panicle clusters; flower buds whitish. Fruits: Fleshy globose berries, ripen from light pink to magenta to red or purplish-red over several weeks.

Cultivation : Prefers bright shade and moist soils. Propagate by cuttings of older stems. Also easily propagated by seeds -- allow fruits to get very ripe on plant, before harvesting them for seeds.

Etymology : Genus epithet 'Medinilla' honours José de Medinilla of Pineda, mid-19th century governor of Marianna Islands in northwestern Pacific Ocean. Species epithet 'cumingii' is named after British botanist and conchologist, Hugh Cuming (1791-1865) -- known as the "Prince of Collectors" for his immense plant (and mollusc shell) collections from the Pacific Islands, Philppines and South America.